Cool Car Tech From 2016 CES

The annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES), now in its 49th year, has been the event that's introduced technology like the VCR, the Blu-ray player and the tablet. As consumers demand more connectivity, sophisticated stereos that go beyond auditory entertainment and hybrid equipment under the hood, automakers have grown their presence at the show – and 2016 was no different. Two different carmakers broke away from the tradition of hosting a new car debut at a dedicated auto show, choosing instead to release their new vehicles at CES. In total, more than 120 car-related companies set up at the 2016 show. Here is some of the coolest car tech they brought with them.

Chevrolet Bolt EV

Why it's cool: An affordable electric car that will be available later this year

General Motors revealed a pre-production version of one of its upcoming cars – the Chevy Bolt – at CES. This all-electric hatchback will be able to drive more than 200 miles in between charges (as estimated by GM). That's more than double what the BMW i3 can do, at 81 miles, and is farther than the 107-mile Nissan Leaf. Pricing is expected to be comparable to the Leaf as well, starting around $37,500 before taxes or incentives are applied. For recharging the battery, commuters connecting their Bolt to DC Fast Charging stations can be back on the road in as little as half an hour, says GM.

Faraday Future's Far-Out Electric Car

Why it's cool: This extreme supercar may be the predecessor to a new electric car

The FFZERO1 is clearly not a car for mortals: it holds a single person, surrounding them with a carbon fiber body that's as aerodynamic as a fighter jet. Four separate electric motors – one mounted on each wheel – combine to churn out 1,000 horsepower. The supercar even boasts a "UFO line," which the carmaker says "runs around the center of the vehicle and is intended to give the sense that this vehicle is not completely of this world."

As exaggerated as this car is, don't be tempted to dismiss the company as a bunch of dreamers. Powering Faraday Future is an impressive list of executives that once worked at Tesla, BMW, Lamborghini and SpaceX. They are promising to have an all-electric vehicle ready for sale by 2017. It will use some of the same pieces built to create the FFZERO1 and likely will launch in the premium class.

Mercedes-Benz Touch-Sensitive Steering Wheel

Why it's cool: Keeps your hands off the touch screen and on the wheel

Not all of the new tech on display at CES is as far-fetched as Faraday Future's 1,000-horsepower hypercar. In the Mercedes-Benz booth was a display of its new infotainment system, featuring what the carmaker says is the "first fully digital instrument cluster with a resolution of 1920 x 720 pixels." The effect is a vibrant display of options for the gauges, driving modes and navigational system.

The steering wheel, on the other hand, looks relatively ordinary in comparison to the large instrument panel. But, according to Mercedes, it is actually the first steering wheel in the world with built-in touch controls. Similar to using the screen of a smartphone, drivers can swipe their fingers on the controls to scroll through menus in the car's infotainment system. Mercedes says the system is intuitive, allowing drivers to adjust multimedia, self-driving options or other vehicle settings without taking their hands off the wheel. This new steering wheel, along with the new instrument panel, can be found in the 2017 Mercedes E-Class, available this summer.

Objections that touch-screen infotainment systems can be too distracting have led other carmakers to come up with alternative ways to adjust settings. But unlike the smartphone-like steering wheel controls on the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, BMW is taking a different approach. AirTouch watches your hand movements to operate the infotainment system. "This means the panorama display can be operated like a touch screen without having to actually touch the screen," explains BMW.

At CES, BMW demonstrated how AirTouch works using a shell of its plug-in hybrid supercar, the i8. Sensors mounted in the dashboard tracked hand gestures for either the driver or the passenger. The menu is displayed as tiles to reduce clutter. To select an option, the user "taps" the air in a pushing motion, as if tapping an invisible button. A touch-sensitive control surface is also mounted in the leather console. BMW hasn't announced when AirTouch will appear in its production vehicles.